The present invention relates to a garment carrier such as a coat hanger which may be used in various environments, as an example, in an automobile or similar vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a garment carrier which may be secured to the interior of a vehicle in such a way that in a first or closed position the garment carrier is concealed to look like part of the vehicle interior molding and in a second or open position the garment carrier is adapted to support a garment.
A conventional means for supporting a garment within a vehicle is to hang the garment over an L-shaped hook provided at an upper section of the vehicle interior over a rear side window. This type of garment supporting means can leave unsightly creases in the garment due to the weight of the garment not being distributed over a large area, but rather being concentrated at the relatively small area of the L-shaped hook.
To prevent creases in the garment, an ordinary clothes hanger can be used to support the garment on the L-shaped hook. An ordinary clothes hanger distributes the weight of the garment over a larger area. However, this requires having a clothes hanger available.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,589 issued to E. Prete, Jr. discloses a hanger apparatus specifically adapted for use in a vehicle. Prete attempts to overcome the disadvantage of having to have a clothes hanger available by providing a close hanger which is pivotally attached to a spring loaded head portion supported by an L-shaped hook or attached directly to the automobile interior. When the hanger is to be used it is pivoted downwardly to support the garment, and when the hanger is not to be used it is pivoted upwardly and retained in an upward position by the head portion.
One of the problems with the Prete hanger is when the garment hanger is not in use, that is when the hanger is pivoted upwardly, it is unsightly. There is no way to pivot the hanger out of sight; therefore, the hanger is in plan view and detracts from the aesthetic value of the automobile interior.